Improvement in horseshoes



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICEo ALBERT S. WILKINSON, OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSESHOES.

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent N0. 56,477, dated July 17, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT S. WILKINSON, of Pawtucket, Providence county, State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Horseshoes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a top view of my improvements in horseshoes. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same through line x :v in Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding' parts,

This invention consists in providing a shoe with a high and wide toe-clip and with curved or semicircular heel-clips.

Having described the nature of my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A A, Fig. 1, in the accompanying drawings, is the plate of the shoe, having a high and wide vtoe-clip, a, and curved heel-olips a a2, the clips and shoe-plate being' forged out solid and of a single piece of metal, or they may be forged out separately and afterward fastened together by any suitable means. b shows a single nail-hole in the heel a', by which the shoe is secured tothe foot with the aid of the clips.

In operation the heel-clips and toe-clips prevent the shoe from sliding forward or backward, and the toeclip also holds thei'orward part of the shoe up to the sole of the foot, the heel being held by the nail b, Fig. l, or by the strap O, Fig. 3. The heel-clip a', Fig. 1, which is on the heel in which the nail is driven, is made to t the heel snug and accurately, but

the opposite heel, a2, is made a little large laterally, so as to be sufficiently roomy to allow for the lateral play of that heel, and thereby permit free expansion and contraction of the foot or heel of the foot.

It is intended that this shoe shall be protected upon the bottom with a false shoe or secondary plate, g', (shown in red outline in Figs. 2 and 3,) which is to' take nearly all of the wear, and can be occasionally renewed at slight oost, so that the more expensive portion A a a a2 ofthe shoe will last for a long timeprobably during the lifetime of the animal.

A shoe of this construction, and provided with a securing-strap, O, as shown in Fig. 3, will be very useful as a reserve shoe for bringing into use when a shoe is cast To prevent abrasion of the hoof a slight padding or lining of rubber or other soft material may be interposed between the clips and the hoof.

My improved toe and heel clips not only admit of less nails, 85o., in fastening a shoe to the foot, but give the shoe great stiffness, and also protect the toe and heel from blows and bruises, and in this latter respect they are particularly useful in ascending or desoendin g hills and when traveling upon rough roads.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'- The bar A, in combination with the toe-clip a and heel-clips a a2, as indicated in Figs. l and 2, the whole being constructed and operated substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

ALBERT S. WILKINSON` Witnesses:

W. W. BLoDGETT, WILLIAM W. REND. 

